Wife arrested in Karnataka ex-DGP Om Prakash murder case
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Bengaluru (PTI): Police probing the murder of former Karnataka DGP Om Prakash have arrested his wife Pallavi on a complaint by their son Kartikesh who suspected the involvement of his mother and sister in the killing.
On Monday, a police officer said the case has been transferred to the Central Crime Branch of Bengaluru (CCB) for further investigation.
"The investigating officer in the case has arrested Pallavi Om Prakash (64)," the officer added. Later, she was produced before a judge, who sent her to judicial custody for 14 days.
When police took Pallavi to the crime scene, she told reporters there that "domestic violence" was the reason behind the extreme step.
The body of the former Karnataka police chief, a 1981 batch IPS officer hailing from Bihar, was found in a pool of blood on the ground floor of his three-storey house in the posh HSR Layout in the city on Sunday.
It is learnt that a heated exchange of words led to Pallavi allegedly throwing chilli powder on Prakash's face, police sources said.
As the former police chief scrambled for relief from the burning sensation caused by chilli powder, Pallavi allegedly stabbed him multiple times, killing him on the spot, they said.
Sources claimed that after killing her husband, she made a video call to her friend to say, "I have killed the monster."
In his complaint, Kartikesh alleged that his mother Pallavi had been threatening to kill his father for the past one week. "Due to these threats, my father went to stay at his sister's house," he said.
"Two days ago, my younger sister Kriti went there and pressured my father to return home. She brought him back against his will," Kartikesh alleged.
He said that on Sunday around 5 pm, when he was at the Karnataka Golf Association in Domlur, his neighbour called him to inform him that his father was found lying downstairs.
"I rushed home and found police officers and people present on the spot. My father was lying in a pool of blood with injuries on his head and body. A broken bottle and a knife were found next to his body. He was then taken to St John's Hospital," he explained.
"My mother Pallavi and my sister Kriti used to fight with my father often. I strongly suspect that they are involved in the murder of my father. I request you to initiate legal action in this case," he said in his complaint to the police.
Sources said the murder was the culmination of frequent run-ins between the couple. It is learnt that a dispute over a piece of property in Karnataka's Dandeli was the focal point of the crime.
A few months ago, Pallavi had approached the HSR Layout police station to lodge a complaint. When the staff there refused, she staged a sit-in in front of the police station, sources claimed.
It has also been learnt that Pallavi was diagnosed with schizophrenia and was taking medicines.
Meanwhile, the former top police brass was cremated with full state honours in Bengaluru on Monday after the autopsy. Kartikesh performed the last rites.
Speaking to reporters after the cremation, Kartikesh said, "After yesterday's incident, I lodged a complaint. The police are doing their job, and I have full faith in them. I don't want to comment further as the investigation will reveal everything. Let's wait for that."
The 68-year-old retired IPS officer was a native of Champaran, Bihar, and held a Master's degree in Geology. Prakash was appointed Director General of Police on March 1, 2015.
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Eggs safe for consumption, cancer risk claims unfounded: FSSAI
New Delhi (PTI): The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has categorically dismissed recent claims linking eggs to cancer risk, terming them "misleading, scientifically unsupported and capable of creating unnecessary public alarm".
In a statement issued on Saturday, the food safety regulator clarified that eggs available in the country are safe for human consumption and that reports alleging the presence of carcinogenic substances in eggs lack a scientific basis.
The clarification comes in response to media reports and social media posts claiming detection of nitrofuran metabolites (AOZ) -- substances purportedly linked to cancer -- in eggs sold in India.
FSSAI officials emphasised that the use of nitrofurans is strictly prohibited at all stages of poultry and egg production under the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulations, 2011.
The regulator explained that an Extraneous Maximum Residue Limit (EMRL) of 1.0 µg/kg has been prescribed for nitrofuran metabolites -- but solely for regulatory enforcement purposes. This limit represents the minimum level that can be reliably detected by advanced laboratory methods and does not indicate that the substance is permitted for use.
"Detection of trace residues below the EMRL does not constitute a food safety violation nor does it imply any health risk," an FSSAI official said.
FSSAI said India's regulatory framework is aligned with international practices. The European Union and the United States also prohibit the use of nitrofurans in food-producing animals and employ reference points for action or guideline values only as enforcement tools.
Differences in numerical benchmarks across countries reflect variations in analytical and regulatory approaches, not differences in consumer safety standards, the authority noted.
On public health concerns, FSSAI cited scientific evidence indicating that there is no established causal link between trace-level dietary exposure to nitrofuran metabolites and cancer or other adverse health outcomes in humans.
"No national or international health authority has associated normal egg consumption with increased cancer risk," the regulator reiterated.
Addressing reports related to the testing of a specific egg brand, officials explained that such detections are isolated and batch-specific, often arising from inadvertent contamination or feed-related factors, and are not representative of the overall egg supply chain in the country.
"Generalising isolated laboratory findings to label eggs as unsafe is scientifically incorrect," the statement said.
FSSAI urged consumers to rely on verified scientific evidence and official advisories, reiterating that eggs remain a safe, nutritious, and valuable component of a balanced diet when produced and consumed in compliance with food safety regulations.
